Open Blogging, Spiritual Encouragement, SPIRITUAL SOUNDING BOARD

Grateful

Julie Anne

I’m grateful that I got to sleep in this morning and for the beautiful sunshine that is streaming through my bedroom window as I type.

I’m grateful for you. This place would be nothing without you.

I’m grateful that you have come alongside me in supporting others who have been harmed by those who claim to be Christian. You give people hope, something that is so needed when someone has been in spiritual and emotional pain.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.  My thoughts and prayers go out to those who find this day to be difficult because of negative experiences, relationships, circumstances.

grace and peace,

Julie Anne

 

 

Image:  My 2 youngest kids and I made stuffed turkeys made from their hand tracings several years ago. These turkeys will be on the table today, along with the rest of the turkeys sitting around the table. Â đŸ™‚

27 thoughts on “Grateful”

  1. Hey Julie Anne! Hope you have a lovely day!

    As I said to my friends south of the border (and our wimpy Canuck buddies who’ve already gone to their homes in Florida for the winter) – “Get stuffed!” đŸ˜‰

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  2. You give people hope, something that is so needed when someone has been in spiritual and emotional pain.

    I think I have something in my eye.

    My kids are watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade for the second time, and enjoying every minute of it. It’s a big world out there.

    (Waves to carmen.)

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  4. I am thankful to have found your original blog (how many?) years ago and for everyone who reads and comments here. The discussion, support and encouragement found on here is wonderful!

    My job today is to bring rolls. I found “The World’s Best Roll” recipe and thought it should be a snap. But the dough is way too heavy and I don’t think they’ll turn out. So now I am thankful that there are some grocery stores open where I can find rolls to take for dinner.

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  5. Oh, that’s a bummer, Kathi. I’m so grateful for YOU and all you do here. And most importantly, for our friendship. We have too much fun, don’t we? đŸ™‚

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  6. I, too, am thankful for our friendship. I look forward to your school schedule loosening up so we can chat over an article again. I still think that would make a fun post.

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  7. Kathi, I hope you find some stores open. True confessions– we buy our Thanksgiving dinner from Luby’s. đŸ™‚ The whole turkey is delicious! I still have to baste it with butter and cook it for 2 1/2 hours, so I still consider it a home cooked meal. đŸ˜‰

    I just saw Rachel Platten sing this song in the Macy’s Parade. I hadn’t heard it before. It seems very appropriate for the message Julie Anne posted above.

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  8. I wept watching Jordan sing this live. Love it. I am grateful for this place, it has been instrumental in unlocking places inside of me that were once filled with fear. Happy Blessed Thanksgiving to all.

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  9. BTDT- That was awesome! Isn’t it a thing of wonder to be able to enjoy all kinds of music & performances. I remember a time when I threw out all my so called satanic rock & roll records. Yes, records, I am that old, though I understand vinyl is back in style. Freedom baby.

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  10. BTDT – There’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting a pre-made meal. It sounds delicious! As much as I love to cook, we hosted Thanksgiving last year and our turkey was a bust. This year it’s something simple, like the rolls. I should have known better than to try something new.

    Gail – I, too, had records and got rid of them when I left home. I remember we had a speaker in chapel at college once who talked about “Satanic music.” It was odd because he was not the type of speaker that represented the ethos of the college and I think he was widely ignored. We recently bought another record player and am wishing I still had some of those vinyls.

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  11. Kathi, I got busted/scolded in a church parking lot once for listening to devil music, how stupid is that! My sister’s boyfriend bought & set up a record player for my us, luckily my husband kept his records. My only job today is to bring some wine to our neighbor’s Thanksgiving dinner. Looking forward to a drama/stress free day with our dear friends.

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  12. Thank you for being here, Julie! Thank you for caring about the sheep and throwing them a lifeline! Thank you to all who post here. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

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  14. Hope all y’all have a good day … I’m just chillin’ out with some coffee at the moment, catching up with blog reading. Glad for SSB and the friendships here — thanks for keeping up with emerging stories on the survivor frontiers, Julie Anne.

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  16. It is wonderful when a nation sets aside a day to be Thankful to the Creator. Harvest time is a perfect time to consider the bounty that we have each had the privilege to enjoy! All the best to y’all in America on your special day. We Canucks celebrated our Thanksgiving the second Monday in October. Thanksgiving can be a rich time for remembering the good things, in spite of some difficult life experiences.

    Here’s a quote I picked up somewhere:
    “It is not happy people who are thankful, it is Thankful people who are happy.

    As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”

    Keep shining the light in dark places y’all!

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  17. Thank you Julie Anne for this site we do not celebrate Thanksgiving Day but I am so thankful for your encouragement and support. I hope and pray that all of you on the other side of the Pacific have a wonderful day.

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  19. I am also very thankful for JA’s site. She is a wonderful example of s strong woman! We all gain from
    Her example and bravery! Happy Thanksgiving to all!

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  20. Thank you, Julie Anne, for providing this space for people to share and to talk.

    Holidays have been rough since my Mom died, but they do get a little easier with each passing year.

    I know you are deeply thankful for Cilantro. Ha ha.

    I was watching a cooking show on Food Network a couple of weeks ago, and when some lady chef reached for fresh cilantro to add to whatever recipe she was making, I thought of you and laughed.

    Thank you again for all that you do.

    Thank you also to all the other people who have been supportive me, especially at times I’m down about stuff. đŸ™‚

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  21. I too am so thankful for your passion and courage to shine a light on this abuse in the Church. I read and watch alot and I am learning alot as well! You rock!

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  22. I am not thankful for cilantro. the plant is misnamed. It should be classified as a weed and unfit for consumption. (I’m waiting for subscribers and commenters to abandon the place now – haha).

    Thank you all so much for your kind words. I feel doubly blessed because not only do I get to use this place as my sounding board as I still process things, but I learn so much from you.

    We had a wonderful Thanksgiving (minus 2 daughters đŸ˜¦ ) Each of us has our favorite special dishes to prepare and I woke up this morning thinking that not one of the dishes could have been better. The Smith team is pretty amazing!

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  23. @Kathi

    We recently bought another record player and am wishing I still had some of those vinyls.

    Try Amazon! There is renewed interest in vinyl. Many, my husband included, think the sound quality is the best. He checked a few groups, and Amazon carries every album in vinyl.

    I also destroyed all my cassette tapes. Remember those. Now cassettes are what eight track tapes used to be when I was young. I didn’t just throw my tapes away. I pulled all the tape out before tossing them in the trash. Boo.

    My youngest son was just peppering me with questions about 35mm photo film and cassette tapes. He dug out some film canisters and cassette tapes of ours. He wants to know how they work. This is the same child who loves classic movies and all the old Dr. Who episodes. Maybe he’ll still find me fascinating when I’m a dinosaur.

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  24. BTDT – of COURSE he’ll still find you fascinating when you’re a dinosaur. OK, so you’ll be old . . . but you’ll still be pretty, kind, warm, generous and affectionate. And his mother. đŸ™‚

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  26. Well, I’m sending you some cyber-strength, BTDT. I know how good you are. (Julie Anne’ll ‘like’ this comment, wait and see. . . ) đŸ™‚

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  27. BTDT – We’re fortunate to have some record stores around town – this is Portland hipster town after all. We went to one this weekend and my 14-y.o. picked out a Simon and Garfunkel. He made me proud! We picked up an old U2 album too. It was fun flipping through the albums, reminiscing and laughing at the art work.

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